𝗪𝗧𝗠| 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗲

F O U R

[back at SHIELD, Steve is brought to Pierce who is talking to Agent 13]

Alexander Pierce: For whatever it's worth, you did your best.

Sharon Carter: Thank you, sir. [as she turns to leave she sees Steve] Captain Rogers. [Steve replies coldly as he walks towards Pierce]

Steve Rogers: Neighbor.

Alexander Pierce: Ah, Captain. I'm Alexander Pierce.

Steve Rogers: Sir, it's an honor. [they shake hands]

"No it wasn't."

Alexander Pierce: The honor is mine, Captain. My father served in the 101st. Come on in. [they enter Pierce's office where he shows Steve an old photo of Fury with Pierce] That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. When I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was deputy chief for the SHIELD station there. And he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said, "No, we'll negotiate." Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement, and what did they find? They find it empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter.

Steve Rogers: So you gave him a promotion.

Alexander Pierce: I've never had any cause to regret it. Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?

Steve Rogers: I don't know.

Alexander Pierce: You know it was bugged?

Steve Rogers: I did, because Nick told me.

Alexander Pierce: Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it? [Steve doesn't reply obviously not knowing this information] I want you to see something. [he brings up footage of Batroc being interrogated]

SHIELD Agent: Who hired you, Batroc?

Steve Rogers: Is that live?

Alexander Pierce: Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers.

Steve Rogers: Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Batroc's line.

Alexander Pierce: No, it's more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star and he was contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts, the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech.

Steve Rogers: Am I supposed to know who that is? [he hands Steve the file]

Alexander Pierce: Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14-35 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick his mother lived at 14-37.